Then he laughed lightly and said, “Yes, I know. I’ve got to find a wife first, and she has to be confident and compassionate just like you. Is it alright if I find a pretty one? You can help if you’d like.”
With the first stars appearing in the purple sky, Jake finished his visit by saying, “But I have to find dad first. I know you’ve probably forgiven him for what he did, but I can’t. I have to find him. It will probably take a while because I don’t know where he is, but I have to go.”
After one last, extended look at his mother’s memorial stone, he turned and left the cemetery. He closed the gate and headed for the house. He hoped that he’d find his father sooner than he expected. He wanted to honor his promise to his mother and start his own family. He wanted to fill the house with children and be their strong, yet caring father. He would also be a husband who never hesitated to show his wife how much he loved her, either. It was his mother who had prepared him to become a good husband and father.
After he returned to the house, he closed the door then lit a lamp and carried it to his bedroom. It was two doors down from his parents’ bedroom and he wasn’t about to sleep there, at least not for a while. Then there was the very real possibility that he’d have to leave anyway. It was still his father’s ranch and if he heard that they hadn’t even issued a warrant, then he might return and act as if nothing had happened.
He soon stripped, blew out the lamp and slipped beneath his clean quilts. Tomorrow morning, he’d ride into town and see if his father had requested a transfer from the ranch’s account. He wasn’t sure if he could have them remove his father from the account, but if the full balance was there, he’d move most of it to his personal account. Then he’d ask them to let him know if they received a transfer request. If his father hadn’t done it already, then he would be unable to touch the money unless he killed Jake. Jake wouldn’t be surprised if it came down to that and moving the money out of his father’s grasp might be the final insult.
He closed his eyes and tried to imagine what had happened in the front room just fifty feet away. He wasn’t sure if the guilt he felt for not being there to stop him would ever diminish. But he was determined to find his father and provide justice for his mother.
CHAPTER 2
Jake joined the boys in the chow house for breakfast. Even though Saturday was just another work day unless it followed a payday, the heavy work was usually shifted to Monday. His only change in wardrobe was his hat. He left the blue cavalry hat in his closet and now wore his light gray Stetson. It was a bit stiff after three years of storage, but at least his head hadn’t grown like his legs and chest had.
As he sat enjoying sharing the morning meal with them, he couldn’t help reminding himself to avoid calling them ‘boys’ when the youngest of them was still almost five years older than he was.
_____
Forty minutes later, Jake rode away from the ranch house on Mars, who hadn’t even issued a mild protest when his old friend climbed into the saddle. The bank closed at noon on Saturdays, but even after another round of questioning during breakfast, Jake still had plenty of time. All of the men had avoided talking about his mother’s murder or even her burial and he appreciated their compassion.
He kept Mars to a slow trot for the short ride to give himself some time to plan for his departure. He’d shifted it until Tuesday because he wanted to talk to his father’s lawyer, Jerome Wright on Monday. He needed advice on his legal situation as regards to the ranch ownership, but the money issue took priority.
He pulled Mars to a stop before the bank just a few minutes after entering Fort Benton and stepped down. After tying off his big red gelding, he scanned the streets before he entered the bank. He almost expected to see his father riding into town.
After he removed his hat, he searched for John Vindaloos. He soon spotted the clerk at a different desk along the back wall then stepped quickly across the lobby.
John had his head down as he added entries to thick ledger, so Jake was able to reach his desk and sit in the chair just three feet above the crown of his head without notice.
When Jake’s shadow fell across the ledger, John raised his eyes and then grinned before setting down the pen.
“I heard you were back, Jake. I wish it was for a different reason, though.”
“So, do I, John. I’ve only been back for a day, but I needed to get here before you closed to ask you a few questions."
"I can guess what they are. You want to know if your father emptied the
